


Murder On My Mind

by Alecthepotato



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Asexual Raphael Santiago, BAMF Alec Lightwood, BAMF Magnus Bane, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Bad Parent Robert Lightwood, Bisexual Isabelle Lightwood, Closeted Alec Lightwood, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gay Alec Lightwood, Homophobia, Hook-Up Culture, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, Illegal Investigating, Internalized Homophobia, Law Student Alec Lightwood, Lots Of Fluff Despite The Murder, M/M, Magnus Bane Is A Freewheeling Bisexual, Magnus is Poor and an Orphan, Minor Character Death, Murder, Murder Mystery, Mutual Pining, Pan Simon Lewis, Partying, Social Worker Magnus Bane, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, The Lightwoods Are Rich
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 13:33:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18718087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alecthepotato/pseuds/Alecthepotato
Summary: Alec Lightwood. Senior Year at NYU. Law Student. So far into the closet he could singlehandedly discover Narnia.Magnus Bane. Senior Year at NYU. Social Work Student. Freewheeling Bisexual.The last thing either of them need is a serial killer on the loose.Or, the college/ murder mystery AU nobody asked for.





	Murder On My Mind

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first official venture into the fandom, but I've been ghosting for a while! Despite watching the show since season 2A was coming out and I read the books when they were coming out too.   
> Enjoy!

The door to the Lightwood sibling’s apartment slammed with enough force to shake the thin walls as Isabelle Lightwood stormed in, looking ruffled as she threw her black Saint Laurent bag down onto the kitchen island.

“Rough Day?” Alec asked from where he was seated on the loveseat in the living room. 

Izzy sucked in a breath before she met her brother’s hazel eyes. “You could say that.” She reached into her bag and pulled out her laptop. “Professor Garroway decided to have us fucking describe the various methods of horizontal gene transfer among bacteria six different times today until he was satisfied. That man wants to- and is going to!- drive each and every one of our brain cells to insanity.”

Alec’s face screwed up in confusion. “Those were certainly all words, but I understood less than half of them.”

Professor Garroway was one of the best medical professors in the country, but also happened to also be incredibly strict, and was known to keep entire classes back for hours until he was happy with the work they had done. 

Izzy rolled her eyes and opened the fridge, her eyes scanning the shelves. “We really need to go grocery shopping” She mused before grabbing an apple from the fruit crisper. “Are you coming out with us tonight?” She asked and strolled over to the sofa across from Alec. 

‘Us’ Was Izzy, Jace & Clary.

Alec stared blankly back at his sister and said “Dream on Iz. I plan on spending my night with my one true love- shitty reality TV and Chinese takeout.” 

A new voice chimed into the conversation. “Ugh. Please? We need someone to be our designated driver!” Jace pleaded as he vaulted over the back of the loveseat, jostling Alec and his precariously balanced laptop.

“Watch it!” Alec chastised and put his laptop on the coffee table in front of him. “And you guys can walk.”

“I’m sure there’ll be tons of cute boys there!” Izzy teased.  
“Yes, because of all places, a party thrown by college jocks is where the gays will congregate.” Alec said, a sarcastic bite to his voice.

Ever since he had come out to his siblings they had been trying to set him up with every single boy they thought might be infinitesimally interested.   
After a few embarrassing dates, Alec had discovered that whilst his siblings loved him dearly, they both had abysmal gaydars. 

He had come out to Izzy first, during one of their biweekly sibling movie nights, sans Jace (he had been too busy with his latest hook-up).   
She had been seated on one end of the sofa, leaning on the arm of the chair with legs haphazardly thrown over Alec’s lap. When he had told her, she chuckled and simply said “I know” before taking another sip of her red wine. 

Alec had choked on the gulp of wine he had swallowed down. Through coughs and gasps for air, he stuttered “I- what- how- what!?”

Izzy had reached over to the coffee table to pick up the TV remote, pausing the movie they were watching (The Notebook, because Izzy had insisted it was a sin he hadn’t seen it yet), and turned to look at him, pulling her legs off his lap in the process.   
“I’m your baby sister. Did you not think I’d notice those longing glances you were sending that boy who picked up your books in middle school? Or the time you almost fell into a fountain because a guy winked at you? Or when you went bright red when that waiter at Le Bernadin gave you his number? You’re not exactly subtle, big brother.”

Alec spluttered again, turning bright red. “First of all- ‘longing?’” he choked out between gasped breaths.   
She gave him a knowing look, meeting his eyes for a moment before he turned away. “Alright, I suppose I could’ve hidden it better.” He looked up at her before asking “But- you’re alright with it? We’re still okay?”

Her face fell for a second before she smiled at him once more, “Alec. Of course I’m okay with it. You’re my brother, and I’ll always support and love you. Besides, I haven’t been exactly subtle either about mine” 

“Your what?” Alec questioned, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

“My sexuality?” She had said. Alec tilted his head slightly as a response, before Izzy sighed loudly. “You can be really oblivious sometimes. The rare times when you have gone out with us, you haven’t noticed me with any girls?” She said bluntly.  
Alec blanched. “I-” He took another sip of wine before trying again. “I thought that was just you being a drunk girl? Like- isn’t that normal? Girls get drunk and kiss each other, it happens, doesn’t it?” He asked, slightly unsure. 

Izzy’s mouth quirked up at the corner. “I suppose so, it’s definitely not uncommon. But no, that’s not where I was going with that Alec. I’m bisexual.” She stated.   
Alec’s mouth widened in surprise and his eyebrows shot up. “Oh! Right. Do mom & dad..?” He trailed off. Izzy shook her head in response. “No, and I don’t plan on telling them unless I find a girl I really like. Not worth the drama.” She answered matter-of-factly.   
“Fair enough.” Alec said. He wondered what it would be like to have parents that would love them regardless of their sexuality, despite how it’d effect their public image. 

“I’m glad you told me, Alec.” Izzy smiled, and pulled her brother into a one-armed hug. “But this is altogether too much sappiness for one night, what do you say we get back to watching other people be sappy?” 

“Sounds good.” Alec had said, and un-paused the movie. Izzy didn’t miss the way his shoulders dropped in relief, or the way his face relaxed, or the way he sank down into the couch. She returned to her original position, legs thrown across her brother’s legs, and they continued to watch the movie.

When Alec had told Jace, however, they had been in the kitchen while Alec made dinner and Jace was doing his best to help. Jace had just slapped him on the shoulder and said “Alright. I love you, man.” 

Alec had frozen in response, “Really?” 

“Did you really think I’d react any other way? C’mon, Alec.” Jace had kept his hand on Alec’s shoulder while he said this, tightly gripping.  
“Yeah, you’re right. Hey, for now- can you maybe not mention it to mom or dad? Or Max? You know how much he talks. I’d like to tell them myself, when I’m ready.” Alec said, struggling to maintain eye contact with his brother.  
“Of course man, that’s your decision. I’m not going to take that away from you.” Jace’s smile morphed into a cocky smirk. “And your chili is burning.” 

Alec had cursed, pushed Jace’s hand off his shoulder and attempted (and failed) to save his chili. 

One would think that Izzy’s sexuality would bestow her with at least a semi-decent gaydar, but alas, that was not the case.  
Alec had been on at least 5 ‘dates’ in which the guys Izzy had tried to set him up with had ran for the hills upon the discovery that it was supposed to be a romantic date. (What they had thought it was going to be, Alec didn’t know. He would never understand the brains of straight men.) 

Jace was no better, giving Alec’s number out to any man he thought might be remotely bicurious. That had also resulted in many blocked numbers, and Alec being called ‘bro’ by people who were definitely not his brother an alarming amount of times.

“Nope. Not going. I’m going to enjoy this-“ He gestured to the open bottle of white wine sitting on the table “-without you.” He looked imploringly at his siblings. “Have a good time, though. If you bring someone home be quiet, some of us have class in the morning.”   
Alec was in his senior year of law school at New York University. He and his siblings had been lucky enough to all get into NYU for their respective subjects. Medicine for Izzy, and Physical Therapy for Jace. 

Being his last year of college, Alec was always running off entirely too little sleep and too much caffeine. He rarely got a night off to relax, and he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to spend that alone. God knows why anyone would want to spend it in clubs with overpriced, watered down cocktails and bad music that was much too loud.

“It was worth a try, right Jace?” Izzy said, looking at Jace for confirmation. Jace nodded and stood up from the couch. “Give me an hour and we’ll be ready to go, if Clary gets here let her in and at least try to be hospitable.” Izzy said as she strutted off to her bedroom.   
Alec mock- saluted his assent before turning back to his laptop, saving his half-finished essay and closing his laptop. 

Around forty five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. “Alec, can you get that? Be nice!” Izzy hollered from the other end of the apartment. Alec rolled his eyes but stood up anyway, strolled to the front door and pulled it open.

“Alec!” A tiny redhead exclaimed before she pulled him into a hug. Alec went along with it, albeit reluctantly as she patted his back, then pulled away. Alec was slowly growing to tolerate- and possibly even like- Clary. Jace had met her through Maia, Clary’s roommate. Maia was a good friend of Alec’s and a one-time hook-up of Jace’s. She was a barista at the campus 24 hour café, and had born witness to many of Alec’s stress induced breakdowns and identity crisis’. Ironically, Clary was also Professor Garroway’s sort-of-daughter. 

Alec gave her a small smile and stretched his right arm out beside him to rest on the doorframe. “Hey Clary. How are you?” He asked as he looked her up and down. She was wearing a tiny black dress that left nothing to the imagination, 4 inch red heeled boots, and she was clutching a small red purse in her right hand. Her brightly coloured hair was loose, falling over her shoulders in natural curls. Her makeup was understated, but suited her. Nude lipstick, brown eyeshadow that made her bright green eyes pop, and a subtle contour.

“Doing well!” She exclaimed. Alec nodded in response. “Did you want to come in?” He asked.  
“No need, we’re ready to go.” Jace said while he strolled up behind Alec. He and Clary shared a small smile, eyes jumping away from each other quickly. 

Izzy ducked under Alec’s arm to give Clary a quick hug and swivelled around to look at her brother. “You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Alec shook his head in response. Jace clapped his hand on his shoulder and said “All good man. See you in the morning, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” And stepped around his brother to join the two women in the hallway, Alec raised one eyebrow and shook his head.

“You don’t need to worry about that. Be safe, make sure to pace yourselves” He said, looking imploringly at Clary.

Ever since the first time the trio had gone out together, when Clary tried to match Izzy’s drink rate and got so drunk she got alcohol poisoning and had to be taken to the hospital via an ambulance, it became a running joke to tease her about her alcohol tolerance (or lack therof)   
Clary rolled her eyes at him. “Alright mom” Izzy laughed. Alec gave a half hearted wave and turned back into the apartment, closing and locking the door behind him. He walked back to the loveseat, poured himself a glass of wine, and pressed play on his episode of Jersey Shore. 

 

Magnus was sitting at his desk-turned-vanity, applying his makeup for his night out. He had been swamped the whole week with class after class, and he had had his first shift at the campus coffee shop, Orens Coffee, that morning and he was more than ready for a night out. 

He heard the tell-tale sound of keys at the front door of his shared apartment, and after a few moments of rattling, the door swung open. His roommate and long-time best friend Raphael Santiago behind it. “Are you going out tonight?” Raphael asked as he poked his head into Magnus’ bedroom. Magnus nodded in answer, concentrating on not forcefully removing his eye with his kohl liner. He finished, popped the cap on the eyeliner and turned his swivel chair to face his friend. “We really need to get the front door fixed.” Raphael continued.

They had been having more and more issues pop up in their apartment, but neither of them had the funds to fix them. The lock in the front door was just the start of it, it took a certain skill and finesse to open the door. Said skill and finesse, neither of them possessed when they were drunk. “I’ll contact the landlord again, though it’ll be a miracle if he decides to do anything about it.” Magnus sighed, stood up and sauntered over to his closet, pulling two shirts out of it. 

“Maroon or navy?” He asked his friend, holding both up in front of his body. “I doubt you’ll be able to tell in that awful club lighting anyway” Raphael said sardonically. Magnus rolled his eyes. “The red one. You have those shoes that match it.” Raphael succumbed.

Magnus hummed and put the navy shirt back in his closet, pulling out a pair of skin tight black jeans and his maroon Doc Martins.   
“I’ll stay awake to let you in tonight, don’t be too late. If you come back later than two, you’re staying outside and you can sleep in the cold.” Raphael snarked before closing Magnus’ bedroom door. 

Magnus quickly changed into his chosen outfit, checking himself out in the mirror and nodding in affirmation. At that moment, his phone pinged on his desk with a text. Magnus traipsed slowly over and picked it up, putting his passcode in and clicked on the notification. 

Biscuit: Hey Magnus! I’m going out with some friends tonight, want to come with?

Magnus smiled. Clary was one of his closest friends, he had met her at the start of his Junior year and Clary’s first year of college. He had helped her get to her classes and find her dorm room, only to find that she was rooming with another one of his friends, Maia. They had instantly clicked, her bubbly personality was admittedly overwhelming at first but he very quickly grew to love her. That had been almost a year and a half ago, and they had grown to be firm friends.   
He replied,  
Magnus: One step ahead of you darling. I’m just finishing getting ready, where shall I meet you?

A reply came through almost straight away.   
Biscuit: Pandemonium? We were at a party at one of Jace’s friend’s places but it was a complete bust.

Magnus smirked. No surprises there, Jace was your typical college jock, and in his experience, parties thrown by his type weren’t even worth showing up to.   
Pandemonium was one of Magnus’ favourite places to peruse on a night out. They had reasonably priced drinks, great music, and beautiful patrons. 

Magnus: Done. I can be there in 20? 

Biscuit: See you then! xx

Magnus picked out a few of his favourite golden necklaces, artfully placed to draw attention to his chest, which was exposed by his half-buttoned shirt. 

He slipped his rings onto his fingers, grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys (despite the fact that he didn’t have a car and he wouldn’t be able to open the door with them), checked himself over one last time in the mirror, and left the apartment. He shouted a quick goodbye to Raphael, though got no reply. 

That was normal for Raphael. He was sarcastic, rude, and often standoffish. He had a chronic case of resting bitch face, but despite this, he was a fierce friend. He was loyal and would defend the people he loved to his dying breath. He was, deep down, a big softie who loved red wine and had a penchant for musical theatre. 

Magnus advanced down the hallway of the apartment building, arriving at the elevator. He cursed at the sight of the ‘out of order’ sign on the doors before he pivoted slightly to his left and made his way down the four flights of stairs. Those were going to give him hell when he was drunk. The elevator was yet another thing his landlord hadn’t fixed, despite his and numerous other tenants complaints.

Once he reached the lobby of the apartment building, he grabbed his phone and opened his maps app, punching in the address to pandemonium. He had a truly horrendous sense of direction, and didn’t know what he’d do without the help of modern technology to help him find his way around New York.   
He stepped out into the smoggy New York air, confirmed that he was indeed going the right way, locked his phone and began the 10 minute journey to Pandemonium.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if there was something you liked or didn't like, something you'd like to see, constructive criticism, ect!   
> I'll try and get the next chapter up asap.   
> Much love!


End file.
